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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/23786542">y equals x to the power of two</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/amyanom/pseuds/amyanom'>amyanom</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>NCT (Band)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Alternate Universe - High School, BFFs, Crushes, High School, Light Angst, M/M, One-Sided Attraction, One-Sided Lee Donghyuck | Haechan/Mark Lee, Rejection, Trains</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-04-22</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-04-22</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-02 21:48:29</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>821</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/23786542</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/amyanom/pseuds/amyanom</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>after some events that separated the two, donghyuck was waiting for the train and mark was standing near him on the platform. he looked different, grown, perhaps even better. was he waiting for the train too?</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Lee Donghyuck | Haechan &amp; Mark Lee, Lee Donghyuck | Haechan/Mark Lee</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>2</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>24</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>y equals x to the power of two</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>mark and donghyuck have been close ever since. they were two peas in a pod. inseparable. they do things together, even if they dont meet eye to eye or be in the same page at all.</p><p>donghyuck dragged his feet and dropped his bag on the ground as he sat in front of mark at their school's lunch table. mark was a senior while donghyuck was a year younger. mark was surrounded by his older friends and donghyuck couldnt help but to feel awkward and out of place.</p><p>it has been a minute since he arrived and mark hasnt spared him a glance. it wasnt like he was checking, or maybe he was. he gets it, its marks final year and he wants to hang out with other people. although it wasnt like this before, he used to have time to spend with the younger.</p><p>donghyuck just concludes that its just growing up. mark, being an adult and donghyuck was one step behind. </p><p>like when they walk to the train station. donghyuck tends to stagger behind while mark walks fast in front of him. like a predator on its prey, chasing him slowly. however donghyuck is also a prey, of jealousy and the fear of missing out, donghyuck has to run away from it every day.</p><p>donghyuck looked at mark from his peripheral view, he was standing next to him, as he always does. the train started running on its tracks, slowly then suddenly rapid, making the people inside sway to the right. at that moment, donghyuck hoped that mark caught him, but they were analogous.</p><p>after the train, they had to walk again. side by side. north and north east. they were minutes away from home, centuries from each other.</p><p>finally, donghyuck had the courage to speak up. mark stopped on his tracks and looked back.</p><p>its been a rough day, donghyuck thought. yet, he knew that its about time to confess.</p><p>"mark," donghyuck said. his breath shaking as his hands holding the strap of his bag. he gulped as he remembered how he practiced his lines. </p><p>"i, i like you," donghyuck said. he looked everywhere but marks eyes.</p><p>"i like you too," mark quickly replied.</p><p>donghyucks vision snapped to marks. he chuckled, it wasnt that bad as he thought. his thoughts are clear and he can finally breathe.</p><p>"you mean like a friend right?"</p><p>sike. </p><p>air had been sucked out. donghyuck was speechless and breathless. he could say yes, but what would he gain? a life long pining.</p><p>"no," donghyuck said timidly. his breath was sharp. "i meant i like, like you."</p><p>"oh," mark said and donghyuck couldve sworn that mark took a step back. "im sorry-"</p><p>"no, no please, dont be," donghyuck said, closing his eyes and looking down.</p><p>"i dont, feel the same way," mark said.</p><p>donghyuck never rehearsed rejection.  "sorry," was all he could say.</p><p>mark wasnt different, he didnt dare utter a word back.</p><p>donghyuck kept his head down. he doesnt wanna see how mark looked but curiosity killed the cat and what killed him further was the older's emotion.</p><p>stoic.</p><p>"im sorry this is dumb," donghyuck said. "i hope, this doesnt change us."</p><p>mark took a while to reply, "no, yeah. for sure. this just, never happened."</p><p>"yeah," donghyuck agreed. "never happened." </p><p>the two began to walk again. north west, north east.</p><p>donghyuck hoped that nothing change, but how much can his hope actually help. isnt hope just a faithful wish.</p><p>as he expected, they did grow apart. he couldnt bring himself to sit next to him at lunch, and mark walks across the road now. he wasnt chasing him anymore, or anything for that matter.</p><p>mark graduated and donghyuck believes its for the good that he chose a school far enough. out of sight, out of mind.</p><p>donghyuck was waiting for the train going east. times like these are when he missed mark the most. it wasnt easy moving on from him. not if he had several dreams and hallucinations about him. including one right now.</p><p>mark was standing near him on the platform. he looked different, grown, perhaps even better. was he waiting for the train too?</p><p>donghyuck looked at the displayed time for the trains. now, it said. donghyucks heart had the same beat as the train gets near. he is real. he wanted to say his name, or bump to him. anything to make mark look at him the same way again.</p><p>the station was louder today. the east and the west train arrived at the same time.</p><p>mark started to walk.</p><p>"mark!" donghyuck shouted which caused the other to look up. a single glance. donghyuck hoped for an interaction.</p><p>mark started to walk towards the west train. hope is a fool's dream.</p><p>the trains doors were closing and donghyuck had somewhere to be. he had to hop to the east train.</p><p>y equals x to the power of three.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>what is this? idk either but thanks for reading homie.</p></blockquote></div></div>
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